Bill supporters plan State House rally

PROVIDENCE — Supporters of bills that would fund programs intended to prevent domestic violence will call on lawmakers to pass the measures during a demonstration at the State House Tuesday.

The bills would create a "domestic violence prevention fund" through additional fees assessed on marriage licenses. Each city or town would have to charge an additional $46 on top of their current fee. Of that, $44 would go to the fund and $2 would stay with the city or town.

The House version of the bill sponsored by Rep. Christopher Blazejewski, D-Providence, was heard by the House Judiciary Committee March 11 and held for further study. The Senate version of the bill sponsored by Senate Majority Whip Maryellen Goodwin, D-Providence, was heard by the Senate Judiciary Committee March 17 and held for further study.

In a statement about the gathering, the Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence urged action as the General Assembly session nears an end.

"The bills are currently being held by the House and Senate judiciary committees with no discussion or thought about the children being hurt every day. The Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence invites community members to stand with them as they urge legislators to vote the bills out of committee and onto the floors for a vote so that they may pass into law before the session ends," the coalition said in a statement.

In calling for action on the bills, the coalition referenced recent cases in which children were present at the time of domestic violence arrests. According to the child advocacy organization Rhode Island Kids Count, children were present for 40 percent of domestic violence arrests in 2013. Children accounted for half of the clients to stay in domestic violence shelters in 2013, the organization reported.

The coalition also referenced an incident last week in which police said a Providence woman was taken to the hospital after her ex-boyfriend threw hot oil on her at her Branch Avenue apartment. Her children may have been splashed with the oil in the process, police said.

Supporters of the bills will gather at 4 p.m. at the State House rotunda Tuesday.